The installation of QuarkXPress 6.1 and the upgrade to 6.5 went smoothly enough (QuarkXPress 6.5 was released in November of 2004, why isn't there a single integrated installer?), but upon logging in and running Quark as a regular user, I recieve the message "The activation file for this copy of QuarkXPress 6.0 has been corrupted. You will need to reinstall this copy of QuarkXPress 6.0."
The very thought that I would need to reinstall the software to solve an activation problem really irked me. Since Quark runs as expected as the administrative user, I assume that the issue is with permissions of some files and I go diving into the Quark technical support database for help. Not finding much of use immediately, I call the tech support number and hang out on hold while I continue searching their site.
Tangent: I can only assume it is complete carelessness that allows the hold music of most companies to be so painful. Quark seems to have recorded their hold music with a kids tape recorder stuck in the cone of a Victrola phonograph playing in the backseat of a Hummer undergoing field testing. Worse is that the loop is less than a minute.
Finally (after enjoying 22 minutes of hold music) reaching someone in technical support, I explain the problem and the tech immediately knows what is wrong. He instructs me to provide "Full Control" to "Everyone" to the folder c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Quark. Inquires for more details confirmed that 1) just the users who wish to run QuarkXPress need "Full Control" and 2) Quark is unconcerned that they are recommending settings that should make most systems administrators cringe.
